Long Drops, and Painted Cliffs

We passed perhaps the coldest night so far, at the rather basic campground near the Grand Canyon North Rim. No wi-fi (hence late post from yesterday), and all water was apparently trucked up to the place so we were not allowed to fill our on-board tank, only to connect directly to the supply. But the temperature rose quickly and we set off for the North Rim, stopping for fuel (again!) and putting air in the tyres. The path to Bright Angel Point was frankly terrifying. At one point we walked along a ridge with 3000 foot drops either side. A friendly park ranger regaled us with tales of various disasters to which other travellers had succumbed, ranging from falls to fatal hyponatraemia. The views were good, with pollution levels low enough to reveal the San Francisco Peaks 60 miles away.

With Les slightly below par with the cold caught on the flight over, Charlotte took on the driving and we aimed north, passing into Utah with its spectacular flat-topped mesas and further views of the Vermillion Cliffs. We selected the scenic route of course, but even so among the first points of interest were the obligatory Mormon churches. Zion National Park arrived mid-afternoon, and we were surprised to be allowed through the tunnel free of charge as we were not quite wide enough for the $15 fee - but we had to fold in our mirrors. The wind-carved cliffs were staggeringly beautiful. After a short stop for photographs, we pressed on as our booked campground was some way out the other side of the park. There was another quick stop for food items in La Verkin, and four miles later we arrived at the campground, just the other side of the intriguingly named town of Hurricane. It's a very posh-looking place, with manicured lawns that we are not allowed to drive on, and the usual population of enormous motorhomes and caravans. Every place seems to have its own strange rules, and here the ladies are not allowed to use talcum powder in the showers. Men apparently can powder themselves ad lib.